


A night to forget

by lnternet



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Drunk Sex, Drunken Confessions, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Mild Smut, Mutual Pining, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Unresolved Emotional Tension, zhurrick
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:20:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27027205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lnternet/pseuds/lnternet
Summary: Set in the middle of LOK Season 2: At the end of a party celebrating the end of filming of 'Nuktuk, Hero of the South', the mix of alcohol, and longing is giving the both of them a little more confidence to do the thing... But will they regret it?
Relationships: Varrick & Zhu Li Moon, Varrick/Zhu Li Moon
Comments: 5
Kudos: 33





	1. Home Alone

**Author's Note:**

> My first proper fic i guess, and my first time writing something some what spiCY. hope it'll be HEARTBREAKING for everyone. i'm one of those fools who loves feeling PAIN so here y'all go!
> 
> Art IG: @lnternet_draws  
> Tumblr: @lnter-net  
> I do zhurrick are so check me out here if you're interested

"Varrick…" Zhu Li huffed as she tried to drag her boss off the couch as the last horde of people at the party streamed out of the mansion. It was, a BIG party. Varrick was celebrating the end of filming for their first mover, "Nuktuk, Hero of the South", and he wanted a little stress reliever before they moved on to prepping the marketing for the first screening down at the Pro-Bending arena. For a water tribe man, you'd think he'd be able to handle his alcohol… or at least know his limit. 6 shots. She made a mental note to stop him before that limit for the next party. Not because she cared that he stayed sober, but because the thought of dragging him to his room, only for him to wake up hungover and whining like a baby for the rest of the next day seemed like a chore she was not paid enough to do. Plus, Varrick and Bolin force her to join in their festivities and take a couple shots herself, she always pretended like it did nothing to her, keeping her stoic act up. But if she was being honest, there was nothing more she wanted to do more, than to climb into bed and sleep off the dizzy spinning she was starting to feel mess up her system.

After some tugging, Zhu Li sighed and decided she'd try again in a bit. There was more than enough mess to go around, and if Varrick was wasting the time she could spend cleaning up and heading to bed, she was just going to leave the man slumped awkwardly asleep, over the couch. "If you wake up stiff and aching, it's not my fault, sir." she muttered indignantly. Zhu Li walked towards the DJ who was packing up and slipped him 100 yuan. "Thanks, madame! Hope you had a good time tonight!" "I don't get paid to have fun," Zhu Li pointed over to the water tribe billionaire across the room "but I'm sure he did." The lanky fire-descendant coughed out a sheepish laugh, "oh, I thought you two were, umm.. Never mind hahahaha" Not the first time, Zhu Li's been mistaken for a girlfriend or a wife, the two are practically glued at the hip. Which reminded Zhu Li, it's probably time for her to give herself another raise. She always did, when someone made a comment mistaking the two of them for a couple. Zhu Li waved her hand and shrugged "I get it. Thanks, kid. We'll call you if Varrick hosts another party soon." The DJ zipped up his bag, gave a little bow and was escorted out the main door. Well, that was the last one them, Zhu Li clicked the lock shut at last. Thanks, kid? She really had been spending too much time with Varrick.

Zhu Li scratched her head at the mess that was left in the wake of what seemed like an airbender's storm gone wild. Plastic cups strewn across the floor, a bunch of glass bottles littered on the stairs, liquor spilled across the counter top. Zhu Li made a 10-second mental plan of how she was going to clear everything up and call the housekeeping team to get in and do some deep-cleaning in the morning, when her eyes pivoted back to the water tribe man. Tsk, he's going to catch a cold while she tended to the preliminary clean up. She opened a cupboard and retrieved a spare blanket and staggered over to the couch. Yea, mental note, if Varrick offers you a suspicious neon blue shot, don't take it. She straightened out his tangled limbs before tucking him. "Just wait til I'm done with this," she whispered, "then you better be awake, so you can walk yourself back to your room, mister." She knelt down by the side of the sofa and tapped him on the head, as if reprimanding him. She couldn't get away with this on a normal day. A smile flickered across her lips before she coughed to hide it, her right hand lingering on his head for a second too long.

Zhu Li dragged her fingers down his face, to caress his cheek lightly. "I'm giving myself a raise for this…" Her vision blurred as she leaned forward, instinctively, something was calling out to the depths of her "cold, heartless, war machine" of a heart. Lips moving towards his forehead, before pulling away. I can't do this, the man's asleep for goodness sake. I'm not a creep! Snap out of it, Zhu Li Moon. She shut her eyes and shook her head, as if to wake herself up, yet a longing ache continued to grow. She pinched Varrick's cheek with the hand that was still on his face and got up to start sweeping the cups on the floor. She couldn't help but take one last glance, Varrick was quite cute when he was sleeping. She always liked his tousled hair, his peaceful smile, his wiry moustache, the way he curled up in his sleep...

Before Zhu Li could walk off to grab a broom, an arm reached out and gripped onto her wrist. "Zhu Li?" Varrick groaned, voice slightly huskier than usual. A sudden wave to dread washed over her, did he, hear… or see what she just did? She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around slowly to see Varrick with his eyes shut. Safe? I guess… He probably just woke up because she pinched him. She knew he shouldn't have drunk so much. Now she's going to have to prepare him some medicine for his throat too. "Yes, sir?" She asked cautiously, as she squatted back down, feeling the tug of Varrick's hand on her wrist. His eyes opened slowly, as he tried to prop himself up with his elbow. "You don’t have to clean this up, it's late, you should go rest." "I'm fine, sir. If you'd like, I can help you to your room first." He nodded, groggily. Zhu Li wrapped her arm around Varrick's waist and placed his arm over her shoulder, propping him up and directing him up the stairs to his room.

Zhu Li sat Varrick down on his bed and fumbled around in his closet to grab a set of blue PJs. "Let me grab a wet towel and some hot water while you change into that, ok?" She handed him the silk nightwear and left the room, leaving slightly-more-sober Varrick to handle himself for a minute


	2. Varrick's dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Idk how to give a summary.. basically varrick gets to live out his fantasies, maybe ?
> 
> update: i intended for this to be a PAINFUL, HEARTBREAKING SMUT 18+ bitches ONLY!! but then i realised that im terribly incapable of writing anything serious... and that makes me sad...
> 
> so .. sigh, i guess youll have to settle for a comedy... might have to change the tags on this one. but, we'll see how my creative direction (or lack there of) goes. memes, im sorry

Varrick's body burned and itched, he started unbuttoning his shirt to wear the silk PJs handed to him. Too hot, he thought, before making the decision to chuck the PJs to the end of the bed, along with his light blue button-down shirt and navy bottoms. He was starting to sober up. That was quite some party wasn't it? Varrick's hand rose to his left check, it was aching. A memory of soft fingers grazing his face surfaced at the back of his head, and a blush creeped up his face. Probably from the alcohol, right? "Zhu Li, if you're going to go all soft around me when you think I'm asleep, why not save that same energy for when I'm awake?" He said quietly to himself.

Zhu Li returned with a mug of warm water, a couple of cough drops, a pot of tea and a warm towel. She frowned. "Sir, it's not that hard to put on a clean set of clothes." She placed the tray down at the bed side table and folded the clothes at the end of the bed. "It's too warm." Varrick's cheeks burning even more. Snap out of it Varrick, stop being a creep. After all, it wasn't Zhu Li's first time seeing Varrick in just his boxers. "Fine," She resigned "In that case let's just get you cleaned up a bit, okay?" Zhu Li reached for the wet towel and tilted his chin up, dabbing the warm towel across his forehead, and then moving down to his cheeks, and then his neck. Varrick couldn't help but wrap his arms around her waist and pull her in closer.

They stood there for a minute, Varrick's head tilted up, meeting Zhu Li's gaze. Ahh… She looked so cute. Zhu Li's left arm dropped to rest on his shoulder, while her right hand continued dragging the cloth across his neck, then his shoulders, and then, his back. "Varrick… I can't move if you grab me like this." "You're cute" Varrick breathed out, as he held her tighter against his bare torso, his head resting on her chest. It was soft. Varrick wasn't sure if he saw her eyes widen in shock, maybe a tint of pink washed across her face, but he felt her body slacken against his. "Varrick, I--" A shallow gasp escaped her lips, her face redden. Was it the alcohol or--?

A bolt of lightning shot through his chest and down to his pants. If he was half-asleep before, that certainly woke him up. He felt himself harden as Zhu Li's hands brushed though his hair, and massage his back. Here's a secret that even Varrick tried to convince himself wasn't true: On some shameful nights, Varrick would imagine Zhu Li confessing her love to him, and that they would kiss, passionately, and make love there and then. The office, on his yacht, the limo… Calling his name out, the same way she just did. Breathless. Years, it must have been, since he started having these fantasies. And yet, he knew, they would never be reality.

Varrick leaned back to lie down on the bed, pulling Zhu Li down, on top of him. He snaked an arm from her back, to her hair, slowly undoing her ponytail and let her soft hair cascade down her face. His hand followed the flow of her hair as he traced the side of Zhu Li's face, before rolling over and pining her to the bed. Was this a dream? He didn't know. "Zhu Li, would you… like to... um.." He racked his brain for what to say next. Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it...

"Do the thing?" His eyes narrowed, searching hers.

Romance isn't Varrick's specialty, clearly.


	3. Kiss me like you mean it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zhu Li wants Varrick, but does he actually want her?

Do the thing? Come on, Varrick. Zhu Li's seen him pull smoother moves on dozens of other socialites, politicians and businesswomen across the world… And yet, that awkward line sent her giddy with love. A dork. He was a dork. But to Zhu Li, this was her dork. Or at least, she believed he would always hold that place in her heart.

Zhu Li squeezed her eyes shut, her heart thumping wildly in her chest, she wanted this, badly. She had been hoping for Varrick to recognise her and her feelings, and maybe one day, reciprocate. This wasn't exactly how she'd picture it would go down, but how many years has it been since her innocent crush blossomed into something more… She could hardly contain herself. Varrick leaned in a little further and rested his weight on her. He was hard, against her thigh.

"Varrick…" She opened her eyes to meet his, and gave him a nod. His eyes widened and Zhu Li felt him twitch against her thigh. He moaned into her neck.

"Really?" he managed to say, before he traced her face with his lips, slightly open, his hot breath against her skin.

Zhu Li tilted her head to face his, "Please, sir." before she took his face in her hands and pulled his lips towards her.

Their kiss started slow and apprehensive. His fingers twirled with her hair, as he peppered shallow kisses on lips and neck. 5 minutes? 10 minutes? Zhu Li wasn't sure how long they'd been kissing, but it was painfully slow. Was Varrick shy? Or is this not what he wanted? Zhu Li had seen him kiss other women before, this usually isn't how it goes… With a tinge of guilt and embarrassment herself, she let go of his face and pushed his chest away with a light pressure, turning her face to the side, to avoid eye contact.

"-- Zhu Li?" Varrick blurted out, if Zhu Li knew Varrick as well as she thought, she knew she heard disappointment, confusion, surprise and hurt all wrapped up in her name. No… He wasn't supposed to say it like that. He wasn't supposed to sound so sad when he called her name. "Do you not… want to do this? You can let me know if you're not comfortable, I'm sorry." He sat back up on the bed, and ran his fingers to slick his fringe back, pausing for a second, as he stared at the blinding ceiling light, before bringing his hands to his face and turning away from her.

"You don't have to do this with me, sir--" Zhu Li tried her best to relieve any of the hurt she thought she heard. He didn't want her. He probably didn't even like kissing her. Whatever hurt she thought she heard, she was probably imagining it, but it still pained her to think she may have hurt him in any way. "--Not if you don't want to" She finished, before moving to slide off the bed she had still been laying on.

Silence. Oh this was the worst.

"We're both drunk, I know probably mistook me for someone else at the party…" Zhu Li felt her heart sink as she verbalised her insecurities, "I don't want you to regret doing something like this, with… me." A lump rose in Zhu Li's throat, her vision blurred again, but she felt more sober now than she did a few minutes ago, it was tears welling in her eyes. She adjusted her glasses to hide it.

She got up to walk towards the door hurriedly, "Haha that must have been awkward for you, I'll see you tomorrow, sorry for the trouble, sir.", twisting the knob of the door, and pulling the door open.

BAM. A hand slammed the door back shut, above her own.

"What do you mean, I would regret doing this with you?" A low voice growled into Zhu Li's ear, sending tremors down her spine.

"Varrick?" Zhu Li turned back around, to see the man hunched over her, arm stretched past her to hold onto the door. His head tilted down, eyes fixed on the ground.

"I know I'm slightly tipsy… Okay, fine, maybe a little more than that." He laughed half-heartedly. "But do you really think, I would mistake you for anyone else?" His voice laced with even more hurt, Zhu Li was sure of it. "I called you, Zhu Li, didn't I?" He lifted his face to look into Zhu Li's eyes. They faces only inches apart. His eyes were more grey than the usual vibrant blue twinkle he had in, and his eyebrows tilted down as he stared into her eyes, searching. But for what?

Varrick bit his bottom lip and retracted his arm, stepping back to give Zhu Li some space. He gave a tight-lipped smile, but still retaining the same gaze with those sad, greyish eyes.

"I'm sorry for startling you. Please rest well tonight." He clutched his chest, "But I want you to know, that know what I said to you, and I meant it."

Zhu Li stared in shock. Her heart overflowing with an emotion she couldn't quite describe, but it was overwhelming. Surrealness, disbelief and relief? Followed with a wave of love, happiness and an alcohol-encouraged tinge of desire.

"I want you, Varrick." She looked back into his eyes. "I just don't want to do anything if you are drunk and hoping for me to be someone else."

"You're Zhu Li Moon, my assistant, my partner, the most competent person I know…" Varrick reached out for Zhu Li's hand. "The only person who can keep up with me, the only person who understands me…" He pressed her hand to his chest. Zhu Li could feel the wild thumping in his chest. "I could never mistake you for anyone, even if I had 4 shots of Moonshine, and 4 shots of Spirit Juice"

"Will you remember this in the morning?" Zhu Li whispered, with a bit of sadness and worry. She leaned her head on Varrick's bare chest, still keeping her distance from his embrace.

"I don't know." Varrick sighed, he did have a notorious habit of having zero recollection of a party after a night of drinks, "but I really, hope I don't."

Zhu Li knew it was the few shots of Spirit Juice surging through her veins that was giving her that final boost of confidence, "Then kiss me like you mean it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> supposed to be smutty, but i thought i messed up with the last chapter's ending.  
> in the end, i guess i am still very much a fluffy pal, unfortunately, but seems like things are looking back up and hopefully i can pivot back to some good o smutty territory hehe.
> 
> I do art and some short fics on here as well:  
> @lnternet_draws on ig  
> lnter-net.tumblr.com


	4. In love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the smut is finally hereeeeee

"Then kiss me like you mean it…" That sultry voice Varrick could never imagine Zhu Li having, sent a tingle down his spine, as he lifted her chin and slid his tongue into her mouth, urgently, and hungry for more. When Zhu Li was tempting him like his, he could hardly even think. He edged her back toward the door and pinned her there, one arm tightly wrapped around her waist, and with the other, he grabbed her wrist and pinned it above her. Varrick groaned into Zhu Li's mouth as he felt the air around them start to heat up.

He pulled Zhu Li in closer and felt her against his growing erection. "Zhu Li Moon, you make me, a bad, bad man." He growled as he pulled away from her lips and lean his head against her shoulder, panting. He could feel her panting too, ahh… that's cute.

Varrick turned the head he was resting on her shoulder to lick her neck, from the top of her collar to her ear, biting it playfully. "I…" he moved down to her jaw and peppered a small kiss, "want…" he brought released his other arm from around her waist and grab's Zhu Li's free wrist, "to…", guiding her hand to his erection, "fuck you." he hissed into her ear, tearing his lips from her jaw and looking her straight in the eye.

If Varrick usually tried to remain calculative and strategic, this was not one of those times. His darkened blue eyes, filled with desire, pieced Zhu Li's.

Zhu Li's hand remained rested on Varrick's hardness after he released his grip, Varrick saw how flushed she was, panting, pupils dilated, lips red from the kiss they shared.

"If the kiss wasn't clear, I mean it." Varrick whispered, as his hardness twitched against her hand.

Just then, Zhu Li gave him a slight squeeze and ran her hand up and down his length. Varrick shruddered and fell over her, arms supporting his against the door as his legs almost gave way. Zhu Li moved her hand up towards his waist band and reached into his boxers, giving him a couple pumps.

"Ah..hh.." a strangled moan escaped Varrick's lips.

"Take off my clothes" Zhu Li ordered as she continued to play with him

Varrick didn't need to be asked twice. He pulled the dark blue sweater she was wearing over her head and with one hand unbuttoning her collar, his other traced the seam of her stockings, up her thigh, pushing her tight a-line skirt up as he made his way up to her hips.

He ripped the buttons off her shirt as fast as he could and threw it on the floor. Stepping back to marvel at Zhu Li, standing in front of him, shirtless and disheveled. Black lace bra, her stockings had torn and exposed her thigh, her grey skirt bunched at her hips. He could take in this sight forever.

Zhu Li retracted her hand from his boxers and unzipped her skirt, letting it fall as she stepped out of it. She slid her glasses off and tentatively bit the end of it. Varrick swore that that was probably the hottest thing he'd ever witnessed.

She bit her lip and smiled warmly at him, and at that moment, Varrick felt the entire world come to a standstill. It was just him and Zhu Li, and a strangely warm feeling he could not describe, overwhelm him.

"Zhu Li…?"

"Yes, Varrick?"

"I love…"

A pause as they both held their breaths. What did Varrick mean to say? He wasn't too sure, himself.

"… how hot you look right now."

If Zhu Li was disappointed, she didn't show it, although Varrick felt unsatisfied with himself as the words left him.

Zhu Li stepped away from the wall and walked towards the bed. Varrick turned to follow her as his eyes traced her bare skin, he could only admire her in silence.

As Zhu Li reached the bed, she turned around to face Varrick,

"I love how you look right now too." She replied as she leaned back and sprawled herself on his bed.

The next thing he knew, Varrick found his lips back on hers, as he crawled over her, his hands hungry roaming her waist, and moving to her shoulders, as he slid the black strap of her lace bra off her shoulders. His hand moved to cup her breast. This must be a dream. He felt her softness against his hand as he massaged it. He dipped his head to lick her collarbone and make its way down her chest. Varrick unhooked her bra and flung it across the room, as his squeezed her breast and brought it to his mouth. His tongue circled her buds, nipping at them.

Zhu Li moaned loudly bucking her hips against Varrick's. Her hands on his hips as she pulled his hips down to meet hers.

"Spirits, you're perfect" Varrick whispered against her chest, "Makes me want to make a mess out of you."

Varrick moved hand down to Zhu Li's panties and slid them off. They were already wet.

He rubbed her slickness and bit down on her nipple.

A strangled moan escaped Zhu Li's lips.

Varrick traced tight circles across her clit, settling into a steady rhythm.

His fingers picked up the pace and he looked back up at Zhu Li's face. Eyes squeezed shut as she panted and moaned with the rhythm of his strokes.

Varrick slipped a finger in her, pushing in and out of her, and curling his fingers inside of her.

Zhu Li cried out in the middle of her moans. Of course, Zhu Li was loud in bed.

"Varrick, I--" He picked up and paced and moved his lips from her breast to resume their kiss.

"Zhu Li, you're so hot. I want to make you cum." He kissed her hard and massaged her clit with more urgency.

Her pleasure was building up, as Zhu Li squeeze her thighs and arched her back, pushing herself against Varrick's hand, screaming his name.

"Varrick! I love… you" She moaned as her pleasure exploded.

Varrick groaned in surprise, continued massaging her as she rode out her orgasm.

Zhu Li's moans died down as she slacked back on the bed, eyes firmly shut. Her messy hair, her pink lips, her darkened, hard nipples in contrast to her soft, fair skin, how her thighs remained squeezed together. Ahh… she really is so beautiful, more than he'd ever pictured whenever he was along and thought of doing this with her. Varrick brought his finger, wet from her, to his mouth, tasting her.

"Varrick! I love… you" the words, her screams, rang in his head. He wasn't sure why those words stuck, but it made him want her more than anything. He wanted to hear her say these words, and hear her moans and screams, again and again. He could watch Zhu Li, naked and panting on his bed, forever. He wanted to hold her close and…

It dawned on him. Varrick, was in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more smut to come in the next chapter, but i might expand this to be an entire love story instead of just a one short

**Author's Note:**

> I'll try my best to make it as HEALTHY N CONSENSUAL as possible, but the two are kinda drunkish so... as much as you can be while being drunk i guess.


End file.
